Control Of The Environmental Impacts Of Mineral Extraction Flashcards
What % of earths surface has been mined?
1% of earths surface
Why can mines cause conflict?
Loss of farmland Air pollution of local town Water contamination Habitat loss Noise Dust Waste disposal
What ia turbid water?
Not clear
Contains suspended particles
What is the problem with turbidity?
High turbidity reduces light penetration in water so photosynthesis is reduced affecting aquatic plants
Can block animals gills/ filter feeding
How can turbid water be managed
Sedimentattion lagoon
What is a sedimentation lagoon
Water used in mining sits allowing the water to settle then be punoed back into rivers
What is spoil
The solid waste form mines
Pilled loosely
What is the problem with spoil
Instability
What can be dien to reduce spoil instability
Stepped
Plant trees to stabalise the splooes only done in low acidity
Drainage to stop it getting water logged
What is leachate
Any liquid that when passing through matter extracts soluble or suspended solids and carries it along
What is the problem with mine leachate
Rainwater can dissolve any toxic metals in the spoil as they are not trapped in the rock they are more mobile
How can limestone be used on leachate
Limestone can immobilise toxic metals so they dont wash out into rivers
How can leachate be contained
Contained behind a tailings dam to try hold back any waste
Why will habitat be lost when mining
As surface has to be removed
Why will habitat be lost from mining
As the surface has to be removed
How can animals be preserved in a mine site
Can be captured and moved to a new habitat
Why is moving animals to another habitat not always successful
As it may cause competition in the new habitat
They might bring disease with them or be exposed to disease
What has to be doen to allow mining in some countries
The area must be restored afterwards
What is Amenity
A desirable or useful feature or facility of a place
How does mining affect amenity
Loss of amenity as the Landscape can be scarred
What does mining produce alot of
Dust and noise
Where does the dust come from in mines
Blasting the rock and when trucks move on and off site
How can the dust be managed
Spraying water on exposed rock makes it settle better as its clumped together
How can noise pollution be prevented
Making a BAFFLE MOUND that deflects sound away from a settlement
What can be doen in the mine to reduce affects if noise pollution
Blast mine at set times of day so people can expect the noise
Lorries uses a one way system so locals arent too affected by the moving of product
